An Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha has convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment three former Police officers for killing a 42-year-old man, identified as Chukwunonso Uchenwoke, from Mbosi in the Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.
The accused persons were said to have killed the man while effecting his arrest over an alleged assault and malicious damage.
The offences were said to have been committed on May 14, 2016, at No. 13 Ibe Street, East Niger Layout, Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state and the Onitsha Judicial Division.
After the incident, the ex-police officers, whose names were given as Juliet Ekwueme, Ugochukwu Obiakor and Raphael Chike, were said to be dismissed from the Nigerian Police Force.
The court, presided over by Justice A.O. Okuma, on Wednesday, held that the prosecution counsel proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and found the accused persons guilty of conspiracy and murder charges preferred against them, which are contrary to Sections 495(a) and 274(I) of the Criminal Code Cap 36 Volume II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991, as amended.
The three of them were all convicted and sentenced to seven years of imprisonment for conspiracy and life imprisonment for manslaughter.
Trulaw Chambers, through her principal counsel, C.J. Okeke, prosecuted the case with the fiat of the Anambra State Attorney General.
Reacting to the judgement, the prosecutor, Okeke, described it as yet another victory and a succinct reminder that justice is still tenable with the right legal representatives.
The counsel to the first defendant, G.A. Oluwatuase, said he would appeal the judgment for his client; the counsel to the second defendant, C.E. Ezenwa, and the counsel to the third defendant, C.J. Agbata, said they need a copy of the judgement to determine their next line of action.